In fact, to ensure itself of one of the Big Six bowls, ND would need a top 7 rating in 2015 and a top 5 rating in 2016 (or, in 2016, be picked for the Orange Bowl over a Big Ten or SEC team, which probably would require ND to be rated ahead of such teams). In 2017, like 2014, ND would need a top 9 rating to be essentially guaranteed a spot. In all scenarios, ND possibly could get in as low as No. 11, but that would require all of the contract slots to be filled by top 10 teams. ND could get in as low as No. 12 if, in addition to all of the foregoing being satisfied, a "Group of 5" team (e.g., Boise State this year) were in the top 11. There seems to be no scenario for ND to make a Big Six bowl with a ranking of 13th or lower.